Ford's 'Kick it Out' hat-trick

More than 110 youngsters joined soccer stars and celebrities for the third of Ford's successful anti-racism "Kick It Out" events.

Around 10 schools from Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Newham, and London boroughs brought 11 to 14-year-old pupils to the football-related learning and games event at Dagenham's Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME). The director of Bend It like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha, film actor Winston Ellis, ex-England and Watford legend Luther Blissett as well as England physio Gary Lewin attended.

Professional Footballers Association executives, Paul Allen and Bobby Barnes, players from nearby Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club and automotive journalist Kevin Haggarthy participated in a questions and answers session.

Bob Blenkinsop, Ford of Britain human resources director, said: "Football is diverse and inclusive and is a great platform for our involvement. Kick It Out's 'One game, One community' theme uses football as a way of promoting social inclusion and encouraging young people to value diversity.

"Given our links with football – as the only original UEFA Champions League sponsors and Thames Gateway Youth Football Project partners – this is a great opportunity for Ford to support neighbouring schools during Kick It Out's week of action."

Piara Powar, Kick It Out director, said: "We are delighted to be working with Ford, and partners in the Dagenham area on an initiative that will have a lasting impact, and Ford is to be congratulated for an enlightened approach to issues that impact on its local communities."

At the same event Brittons School & Technology College in South Hornchurch won the chance for 11 students to be centre circle bearers of the UEFA banner at the Arsenal-Dynamo Kyiv game on November 25.